Draft-gear yoke



C, l. NASH.v DRAFT GEAR YoxE.' AgucATloN HLEUMAY'ILIQIZ.

' AIvlat'erlln Feb. 10,1920.

q-MI-rsses @1M 'M' UNITED ASTAT;is PATENT oEEIcE.

` CHARLES J. NASH, or 'GI-CAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoE To UNIVERSAL DEAET GEAR ATTACHMENT co., or cHIcAGo, ILLINOIS, A oonroEATIeN or ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-GEAR YOKE.

Application led May 15, 1912.

i770 all Lelio/n 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. NASH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Gear Yokes, of which the following is a` specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a .part thereof.

The invention relates to that type of yoke for draft gears which is made the subject of my pending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 664,461, its object being to substantially strengthen the yoke without materially increasing its weight.

The invention is fully hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a detail perspective ot the yoke, some portions being broken away,

Fig. Q is a vertical central longitudinal section of the yoke, and a detail of the ar construction, showing the yoke in position for service;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view ot the yoke, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.'

The yoke to which the invention is particularly applicable is especially adapted for use in so-called twin spring gears, in which the Springs are mounted side by side, either in horizontal or vertical alinement.

The yoke is ot the ordinaryU-shaped type, comprising the longitudinal arms 10, 11, connectedat their rear ends by a cross member, 12. The forward ends ot' the longitudinal members are united by side-plates, 13, 14, between which the coupler-bar, 1.5, enters, and to which it is attached by means of a key, 16, passing through slots, 1T, 18, in the yoke-plates and a suitable slot in the bar.

The presence of two springs, as 19, Q0, located side by side, necessitates the use of a wide yoke in order to provide a sutliciently commodious spring pocket.

Under pulling strains, there is a tendency to draw the side members 10, 11 of the yoke toward each other. This tendency is resisted by the side-plates' 13, 14, acting as columns. Under excessive stresses, it is found that these plates, because of their very considerable width, tend to buckle outn Wardly.

To overcome this diiiculty. l iorm, as an integral part of the yoke, bridging plates,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Ser'ial No. 697,408.

21, 22, across the yoke, each extendingiin wardly from one of the sidesarms 10, 11, and each uniting the plates 13, 14s. The length of these bridges, measured from the side members of the yoke, is such that their inner' margins are spaced apart a sutii'eient distance to provide an aperture 'for the inner end of the coupler-bar 15, permitting' its abutting engagement with the forward iol lower-plate, 23. The bridges 21, 2Q may be comparatively thin, and consequently they add but little to theweight of the yoke. They reinforce, however, the side-plates 13, 14, and shorten their unsupported portions. It is well known in mechanics that the strength ot'a column is inverse as to its length. By reinforcing the plates 13, 14, considered as columns, througha consider able proportion of their length, from either end, and thus substantially decreasing the length of the unsupported or unreintorced portion of the column, a very decided increase in columnar resistance is secured.

The cross member of the yoke is thickened intermediate ot its ends by a forward extension. The thickened portion is provided with lateral extensions 24, Q5, forming draft lug engaging shoulders, and is cored transversely, as shown at Q6, 27 and 28, for lightness and to avoid the drawing of the metal iii the casting operation. Webs. as 2S), 30 and 31, as many as may be found necessary, cross the recesses-at each side of the thickened portion to reinforce the corners of the yoke.

l claim as my invention- 1. In a draft gear yoke, in combination, a pair of straight longitudinal members, a pair of side plates joining such inen'ibers and projecting from the t'orward ends thereofA and forming a coupler-butt receiving socket, and a pair oi plates joining the rearward ends ot the side plates and each eX- tending inwardly trom one of the longitudinal members, such last-named plates being spaced apart to provide clearance to permit the inward movement of the coupler butt.

2. In a draft gear yoke, in combination, a pair of side` members, a cross member uniting the rear ends of the side members and being thickened intermediate ol its ends by a Jforward extension. such thicl'zened portion projecting laterally ateacli side oi the cross member. and webs crossing the recesses at each side of the thickened portion 3. In a draft gear yoke, in combination, a pair of longltudimil members, a rear end unltmgsuch members, a coupler-receiving soclcret at the forward, end of the longitudi- 5 nal nembers comprising` forwardly projecting Iand inwardly inclined top and bottom walls and apertured side walls',y and a plate extending inwardly 'from the forward end of ela'ch longitudinal member, sach plates 10 joining the rearward ends of the side walls and `having their inner edges spaced apart to provide clearance for a coupler butt.

4. In a draft gear yoke, in combination, a. pair of side members7 side plates uniting 15 the forward ends of such members and forming a throat for receiving the butt of a the forward ends of such members, yxndbridges projecting inwardly from the side members and connecting the side plates, the inner edges of the bridges being` spaced apart to permit the movement therebetween of the butt of a .draw-bar.

CHARLES J.l meer.

litnesses z Louis K. GriLLsoN, E. M. KLATCHER. 

